Do This if You Understand But Can't Speak
I meet a lot of people who tell me, almost with pride, that they understand a language well but can't speak it. Usually two things are going...
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Education
Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann
I speak 20 languages. I've been learning languages for over 50 years and I've tried all kinds of approaches. I talk about my experiences, my approach to language learning, what I enjoy about...
Episodes
20 of 431 episodes
The best way to read in another language
When I start reading in a new language, I accept that I am not going to understand most of it. My brother compared it to mowing a lawn: if t...
Spain vs Latin America: how different is their Spanish?
Spanish is spoken across three continents, and learners worry constantly about picking the wrong version. But compared to English or Portugu...
Why paper books beat screens for learning (backed by research)
I have somewhere between 60 and 70 shelves of books in this house, well over a thousand of them, in several languages, and I have finally st...
Why your reasons NOT to learn a language are just EXCUSES
I was with some Canadians recently who all agreed that French would help them professionally. Within a few minutes I had heard three reasons...
Why reading in some languages is harder than in others
Reading is a huge part of how I learn languages, but it is not equally easy in every language. In Spanish or Turkish I can sound out almost...
9 habits that are KILLING your progress in a new language
Friction is what reduces our enjoyment of language learning, so in this video I go through the nine forms it takes and what I do about each...
How I learn grammar without studying grammar rules
Should you focus on words or grammar? Here's how I approach grammar as an input-based learner, and why most corrections never stick.
How I'm getting my Portuguese ready for Portugal
In this video I'll you how I'm getting ready for my trip to Portugal by using point-of-view stories, circling questions, and AI to create cu...
Stop forcing yourself to remember vocabulary. Do this instead
Today I want to talk about the fifth language skill — the one nobody teaches alongside reading, writing, speaking, and listening, and the on...
The sweet spot that makes you enjoy learning (and how to find it)
Today I want to talk about the state of flow — that feeling of being completely absorbed in what you're doing — and how you can use it to be...
Why I DON’T use spaced repetition to learn vocabulary
Vocabulary is the clearest measure of your level in any language, so here is how I acquire and review words, and why I skip most of the popu...
Languages or Sudoku? The better choice for a healthy brain
At 80, I'm still learning languages every day, and I'm convinced it does more for your brain than any Sudoku puzzle ever could.
Don’t LEAVE your comfort zone, MOVE it
Everyone says you have to leave your comfort zone to learn a language, but is it really true?
I learned Chinese in 1968. Here's how I would do it now
I started learning Mandarin in 1968 with flashcards and reel-to-reel tapes, and here is what I would do differently today.
Why SLOW IS BETTER in language learning
Today I want to talk about learning slowly — and why if you accept that learning a language takes time, learning slowly actually gets you th...
Why reading is the KILLER APP for language learning
After an hour of focused reading in Persian, I felt my grasp of the language jump forward, and it reminded me why reading is the most powerf...
Can we learn to sound native in another language?
Most adult language learners are chasing a goal they're unlikely to reach, and I want to share what I think we should focus on instead.
The 3 stages of comprehension every language learner goes through
There are three stages of comprehension in any new language. Early on, you barely understand anything — and that's fine. The goal at that st...
Answering the most common questions about learning Arabic
I've been chipping away at Arabic for years, and I recently sat down with Hasan Alhamwi, the founder of Arabic All The Time. He left a caree...